Items medium note

This series consists of the crew list for the HMVS NELSON for the period 1877 to 1885. The NELSON was a "wooden steam frigate of 48 guns which was permanently loaned to the Victorian Navy by the (British) Admiralty in 1867 and arrived in Melbourne early in 1868 under the Command of Captain Charles Payne"(1). The NELSON remained in service until 1891. The series consists of one volume (?extant) which has 'HMVS NELSON - List of personnel on board' on a typed label attached to the front cover.

There is a tabled alphabetical indexing section in the front which has only three entries in it. On the spine of the volume in gold, is "Description Book - Victorian Naval Forces".

The remainder of the volume is in double page format. These pages are divided into columns with the following headings:

• No. on SB,
• Names,
• Date of Entry,
• Rate,
• Height in Feet and Inches,
• Age in Years and Months,
• Colour of Hair and Eyes,
• Complexion,
• Marks on Person,
• Religion,
• Build,
• Date of Discharge, and
• Usual Place of Residence on Shore.

Up to page 25 there are detailed lists which include entries in all columns as noted above. From page 27 the entries are less detailed and there are many blank pages between lists.

In the first section where the details are more complete there are separate lists for

• AB's [Able Seamen],
• PO's[Petty Officers],
• Leading Seamen,
• Firemen,
• Commissioned Officers,
• Warrant Officers,
• Chief Petty Officers,
• 1st Class Petty Officers,
• Stockers,
• Ordinary Seamen and Servants and Boys.

Towards the middle of the volume there is a 'List of Training Seamen'.

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